Founded in 1953 as a Radio Zagreb ensemble under the artistic leadership of the renowned cellist Antonio Janigro, Zagreb Soloists gained reputation as one of the world’s most outstanding chamber orchestras.
Besides their conspicuous work with Maestro Janigro Zagreb Soloists have also collaborated with concert-masters Dragutin Hrdoljak, Tonko Ninic, Andelko Krpan, and Borivoj Martinic-Jercic.
Since 2012 the ensemble performs under the leadership of Sreten Krstic who is also the leader of the Munich Philharmonic.
Since their inception the Zagreb Soloists gave over 4000 concerts on all continents and in many prestigious venues such as the Musikverein (Vienna), Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Royal Festival Hall (London), Berlin Philharmonic Hall, Tchaikowski Hall (Moscow), Santa Cecilia (Rome), Carnegie Hall (New York), Opera House (Sydney), Victoria Hall (Geneva), Teatro Real (Madrid), Teatro Colon (Buenos Aires), etc.
They have regularly performed at the major music festivals such as those in Salzburg, Prague, Edinburgh, Berlin, Bergen, Barcelona, Istanbul, Prades Ossiach, Dubrovnik and elsewhere, playing with numerous distinguished soloists, for example – Henryk Szeryng, Alfred Brendel, Christian Ferras, Pierre Fournier, Leonard Rose, James Galway, Jean-Pierre Rampal, Aldo Ciccolini, Katia Ricciarelli, Lily Laskin, Zuzana Růžičková, Mario Brunello, Isabelle Moretti, Guy Touvron and many others.
Zagreb Soloists’ performing repertoire entails baroque, classicist, romantic and contemporary music, with particular attention given to Croatian composers – both of those who represent the musical heritage and those of the younger generation.
They recorded more than seventy albums for companies like Vanguard House, EMI, ASV, Eurodisc, Melodia, HISP-vox, Pickwick audite, cpo and Croatia Records. In June 2014 the ensemble has also released a compact disc with works by Boris Papandopulo, performing with pianist Oliver Triendl – the project which united both local and international music criticism – giving the CD highest rates and numerous commendations. One of the most notable recent recordings is the album with works by Ernesto Cordero, featuring prominent soloists such as the violinist Guillermo Figueroa and the guitarist Pepe Romero (Naxos 2010) that subsequently nominated for the Latin Grammy Award.
AWARDS AND ACCOLADES
Among the awards and accolades received by Zagreb Soloists are: